Fracture and deformation behaviour of melt growth composites at very high temperatures

Unidirectionally solidified Al2O3/Y3Al5O12 (YAG) or Al2O3/Er3Al5O12 (EAG) eutectic composites, which are named as Melt Growth Composites (MGCs) has recently been fabricated by unidirectional solidification. The MGCs have a new microstructure, in which continuous networks of single-crystal Al2O3 phases and single-crystal oxide compounds (YAG or EAG) interpenetrate without grain boundaries. The MGCs fabricated are thermally stable and has the following properties: 1) the flexural strength at room temperature can be maintained up to 2073 K (just below its melting point), 2) a fracture manner from room temperature to 2073 K is an intergranular fracture different from a transgranular fracture of sintered composite with the same composition, 3) the compressive creep strength at 1873 K and a strain rate of 10(-4)/sec is 7-13 times higher than that of sintered composites, 4) the mechanism of creep deformation is based on the dislocation creep models completely different from the Nabarro-Herring or Coble creep models of the sintered composites, and 5) it shows neither weight gain nor grain growth, even upon heating at 1973 K in an air atmosphere for 1000 hours. The above superior high-temperature characteristics are caused by such factor as the MGCs having a single-crystal Al2O3/single-cryatal oxide compounds without grain boundaries and colonies, and the formation of the thermodynamically stable and compatible interface without amorphous phase. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.